


Birthright of the Exiled

by Blu (BluBooThalassophile)



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, 半妖の夜叉姫 | Hanyou no Yashahime | Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon (Anime)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:21:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27237991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluBooThalassophile/pseuds/Blu
Summary: It was said that he was the most feared weapon of the Inu no Taisho's army, so feared by his father that it was said he was exiled for killing his mother. But now the Inu no Taisho grows weak and with unsuitable heirs left to rule it is time to summon his eldest son home. But no one knows where Sesshōmaru-sama is.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha, Higurashi Towa & Rin & Sesshoumaru (InuYasha) & Setsuna (Hanyou no Yashahime), Rin/Sesshoumaru (InuYasha)
Comments: 30
Kudos: 194





	1. Chapter 1

"We seek Sesshōmaru-sama of the Shikoku InuYōkai Clan," the yōkai bellowed at her.

She stood on the steps of her husband's home, the simple, yet large house was nestled deep within the forest, near the river, by the mountains, it was her husband's preferred home. The air rippled around her, the ends of her hair dancing on the late winter's breeze, she suppressed a shiver from the winter's chill. Even wrapped in her furs and winter's garbs she could still feel the biting cold.

"He is not here," she answered calmly. "May I ask what this is about?"

"You may not wench!" the yōkai barked.

She was taken aback by the harsh address as she stood there on the steps of her husband's home.

"We demand to speak to Sesshōmaru-sama!" the yōkai demanded again.

"As I said, he is not here," she started.

"I smell his stench, wench, do not think me a fool!" the yōkai snarled.

"I did not think you…" she started as gasp escaped her as a clawed hand of extreme strength caught her throat and her back was slammed into the wall. Clawing futilely at the wrist which held her captive she struggled to retain air.

"I smell him here," the yōkai growled. "Tell me where he is or I eviscerate his plaything whore of a human."

She couldn't answer, she couldn't breathe, there were black spots dancing before her eyes as she choked for air.

"Your species is so weak; you can't even speak!" the yōkai chuckled ominously.

"Mama!" a small voice screamed.

There was a thunderous snarled which seemed to shake the earth before she was released, toppling to the ground, choking for air as she clawed for purchase to get herself to move for her children.

Suddenly there was warmth splattering on her, red splashed onto the finished wood of the engawa.

"Do not ever touch what is mine," her husband snarled, before the body was flung away. "Rin," his soft, cold, tempered voice said as large hands grasped her elbows and gingerly pulled her up to her knees.

"I'm alright," she hoarsely promised as smaller hands grabbed for her and she found herself with an armful of pups.

Sesshōmaru nodded as he pressed his nose to her hair and slowly stood. Rin buried her face between her babies as she hugged them tightly. The pups, her daughters, were both smart for their age, and small as she held them tightly. Suddenly she was embraced by her husband who walked them into his home and settled her by the fire.

"Who were they?" she asked as he wrapped his mokomoko around them.

"My father's men," he answered gently as he went about securing their home. Then he sat across from her at the fire pit.

"Your father?" she whispered as she released a struggling Towa who tottered over to Sesshōmaru.

"Hai," he murmured as he caught their energetic daughter.

"What does he want!?" she sputtered as she hugged Setsuna little tighter, running her fingers over her daughter's mokomoko and hair.

Sesshōmaru shrugged as Towa clambered up to his shoulder.

"Should we be worried?"

"I will speak to Bokusenō tomorrow, as well as talk to Tsukuyomaru and the yōkai taijiya," he informed her. "Are you…?"

"I'm fine," she promised hoarsely with a smile. "You're cleaning up that blood, I just cleaned the engawa!" she warned.

Her husband gave her a look of pure indifference with an annoyed twitch of his brow.

"Oh no, I was doing laundry when those rude men came, and I just cleaned that engawa, you're cleaning it," she warned as she snuggled into his mokomoko. Setsuna gnawed on her hair as she balefully dared her all-powerful husband to counter her demand. "And don't think to make Jaken do it, poor kappa is overworked as it is watching the twins."

Sesshōmaru frowned a little. "Very well," he conceded.

"Thank you," she smiled.

He inclined his head as he caught Towa before she toppled off his shoulder.

"I thought your father was dead," Rin admitted.

"Not yet," he growled lowly as he set Towa on the tatami mats. The little girl ran to Rin who caught her elder child with ease.

"Mmm," she hummed tiredly as Towa tugged on the strand of hair Setsuna was chewing. Rin rather tiredly detangled her hair from the pups and smiled at Towa who pouted a bit. Her expressive, attention hogging daughter was not amused, while Setsuna forcefully retained her spot on Rin's lap by clinging to her chest.

"What could he possibly want?" Rin sighed tiredly. Sesshōmaru came around and picked up Towa before Towa could push Setsuna off Rin.

He shrugged rather tiredly.

"Very well, we'll worry about it tomorrow," she yawned.

"Rin?" he started.

"I am fine, my lord, just going to have a bruise and trouble talking," she smiled softly as she slowly got to her feet.

"Silence at last," he smirked.

"Ha-ha," she shook her head. "I'll put the girls to bed," she sighed.

He nodded as Towa was passed off to her.

Rin walked to where they put the girls to bed, setting up the small room and futon, pulling out the quilt as well. The girls, for as human as they looked, were rather like regular pups, and got into all sorts of mischief. Turning around she sighed in exasperation to see Towa chewing on a kimono and Setsuna climbing the chest drawers.

Sesshōmaru's curiosity was a prominent trait within both his daughters' personalities. It was rather maddening, because it meant everything had to be put away, locked up or out of reach and with hanyō pups that last one was rather difficult to do. Setting up the girls' futon she started picking up the mess Towa had made and secured both her sleepy pups in their bed before slipping out.

The moment she had shut the shoji her husband was looming over her.

"Rin," he murmured as his mouth crashed onto hers, his claws tangling in her hair as she tilted her head back for better access.

* * *

Sesshōmaru tightened his hold on his mate as he pulled her closer to him, her fingers tangled in the silks he was wearing and her scent was intoxicating to him as he deepened the kiss. His fangs tugged on her bottom lip to demand more from her, and she responded in kind. Good kami this human was going to be the death of him, but what a way to go. She kissed him twice as passionately, and determinedly as she struggled for dominance against him. His claws traveled down her delicate form before gripping her hips to lift her up. Rin struggled for a moment before her legs were wrapped around his hips and her kimono was indecently bunched around her hips.

"Kami, Sesshōmaru," she gasped as her eyes fluttered shut and he kissed his way to his mark.

"You cannot die," he whispered to his mate.

"I'm not going anywhere," she promised as his tongue moved over the mark.

Rin had always been a blind spot for him, an unexpected weakness he had never calculated for or anticipated, and one that continuously surprised him since the moment they had met. Pulling her along he got them to their room, where he had spread out the futon, furs, and quilts when she had been bedding down the girls. Tōkijin and Bakusaiga were already put away where he could grab them swiftly, and his armor put up and away.

Crashing onto their futon he kissed his way along the hemline of her clothing.

"He had your throat," he growled. "I wanted to kill them all right there," he snarled as he sliced her obi away.

"You did," she rasped.

"No," he murmured. "I hid our girls first," he whispered.

"That's why you're a great daddy," she moaned as he tossed her clothes aside. He took a moment to appreciate his mate's naked form now that he had torn off all her layers. Pert breasts which were slightly larger than they had been, wider hips, loose skin across her pelvis where their pups had resided, soft skin that had reshaped on her lithe frame. Kami she was stunning, he loved her like this, he had loved her before too, but this was different. He had done this to her, their pups had done this to her, and it was stunning. His eyes flicked to hers again.

"I am?" he questioned as he came over her.

"Hai," she whispered as he neared her. "I'd kill you if you were anything less to our girls than a great father," she promised.

He smiled a little as he leaned over and kissed her again. He had never been so scared as he had been today seeing his mate and soul pinned by an enemy yōkai wearing his mother's colors. He had never anticipated his father would actually find him, but now that he was found Sesshōmaru needed to plan his next steps to protect his mate and pups.

* * *

Tōga stood in his mate's dying gardens and stared out at the yōkai realm. It had been well over two hundred, nearly three hundred years, since he had seen his eldest son.

He still remembered that night, when Kimi had died saving him and Sesshōmaru from Ryūkotsuse. He remembered the way his son had looked at him before leaving with his mother's body and disappearing into the night. That night Tōga had lost both his mate and son and had barely saved his mistress and new born from a fate worse than death.

It was a difficult thing though, losing his eldest heir.

Tōga did not know how to replace his heir. His other sons were too brash, too impulsive and too eager to prove themselves as heirs to be good heirs. Sesshōmaru, for all his flaws and character shortcomings had at least been a level headed, patient creature by nature. InuYasha and Kōga were not like their elder brother, no, they were both too brash and narrowminded in thinking to be anything close to good leaders. But Sesshōmaru, like Kimi, was politically savvy as well as a brilliant strategist and so focused that he used to succeed at whatever Tōga demanded of him. Sesshōmaru had been an expert assassin, a brilliant general, a dangerous politician, a lethal warrior, a patient ruler, and a quiet creature, all of that was almost by instinct and nature than design. Tōga could not design a more perfect heir, despite his attempts with his other pups.

Sō'unga was killing him, he needed to call back Sesshōmaru, he needed an heir who could unite the people or at least have the power to attract followers. He feared his death would be like Taigokumaru's if he did not have an heir; without Tsukuyomaru the hyakkikoumori had turned on themselves and fell into civil war. Taigokumaru's death had given Tōga a glimpse of what it would be like to die without an heir, a strong heir, to take over for the Shikoku InuYōkai Clan and the packs within the Clan. For they would turn on each other without a strong leader.

Besides, the Shikoku InuYōkai Clan would only ever truly follow someone of Kimi's bloodline, for it had been her father who founded the Clan. Sesshōmaru would have to lead.

Tōga had sent out messengers to all the realms to find and bring back; by force if necessary, Sesshōmaru. It was for the greater good that his eldest return to rule.

It was his birth right after all.

And Kimi's ghost could finally stop haunting him if he found their son.

By all the forces in the world he would find his eldest son, before his death. He had to. The world needed Sesshōmaru to accept his birthright. If Sesshōmaru didn't, Tōga feared the daimyō, the pack leaders within the Shikoku Clan, they would tear the Clan apart.

* * *

Sesshōmaru's claws traced his sleeping mate's cheek as he watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest. Sesshōmaru vowed to destroy everything his father had stolen from him if Tōga came near his mate or pups.


	2. Chapter 2

Sesshōmaru waited until his mate was sleeping, wrapping her up in mokomoko and the quilt. He pulled on his clothes and walked out.

Three hundred years of living here in peace and now that was over. Walking out into the night his ears listened for sounds beyond the forest, he looked at over the bloodied snow. The dead were gone, he didn't like this. His claws moved over the hilt of his fang as he looked back to his home before leaving the engawa. Blood trails lead to the forest, which had him taking to the trees, he didn't like leaving his mate and pups, but he knew Rin would protect their girls, and Jaken was there, as well as A-Un.

Following the trail of blood he landed silently in a clearing, he could feel them moving around him, he could sense their yōkai and their ki as they moved, which had him stepping forward, his claws were itching for a fight now.

"Been a long time Sesshōmaru-sama," a voice drawled out which had him looking up to see an ookami standing in the tree. "Began thinking you were dead, of course, that would upset father."

Sesshōmaru said nothing as he assessed the yōkai, obviously one of his father's progeny, he could scent that. Also, the ookami had his father's eyes, as well as the yōkai markings of the great Inu no Taishō.

"I told InuYasha I'd find you first," the ookami smirked confidently then.

Sesshōmaru saw the ookami and inuyōkai walk out of the forest then.

"I just didn't expect you to have killed five of my best men, and for a human whore," the ookami said.

Sesshōmaru looked up to the ookami and then at the yōkai surrounding him.

"Such a shame," the ookami chuckled. "Father orders your return, Sesshōmaru-sama."

"Then you can tell him my answer," Sesshōmaru smiled.

"We've been ordered to bring you in, even if we must use force," the ookami said. The yōkai drew their fangs then.

"Don't make this more difficult than it has to be, big brother," the ookami said.

"You should have left," he snarled lowly and moved fast, no one expected his first strike as he pulled Bakusaiga and threw the light whip to lash through multiple yōkai. The blood splattered on the snow as he twisted around slamming his ki into the ground as he sent poison through the air killing everything within a tail's length of himself. He twisted around slashing down another ookami, sending the blood to drench the snow, as he looked up at the ookami. The ookami had the good graces to smell of fear now as he looked at Sesshōmaru with a look of shock. A wolf came barreling at him, he caught it by the throat and curled his fingers harshly into the windpipe, a whimper escaped it as he threw the beast at the yōkai. Reaching through the air he pulled up the rocks from the river and pelted the few left standing before he sliced down the ookami's perch. The wolf gave a startled yip as he dove out of it and rolled to Sesshōmaru's feet. The dead, five from his home when they had originally moved against his wife now lay as twenty in a radius around him.

"Tell father that if he wants me you know where to find me," he snarled. "Now run."

The ookami took the message then and ran. Sesshōmaru stood in the snowy night and looked at the carnage around him.

"My lord?" a voice sounded through the night and he turned to see his mate walking through the snow. She walked into the clearing then, pulling his mokomoko closer around her as she looked around at the carnage, she looked so delicate now, like a gentle spirit that she was, she didn't look like she belonged in the aftermath of his carnage.

"My lord," she said softly.

"You're safe," he answered.

"Of course I am," she dismissed and smiled so trustingly at him that he was again stunned by the faith this woman had placed in him. He cleaned of Bakusaiga before walking to stand before her. He towered over her and assessed his mate carefully, he had met her when she had been a mere pup, never would he have suspected that he would be mated to a human who would look at him with such love.

"What did they want?" she asked as she looked at the destruction he had wrought.

"Me," he answered.

"I know, but why?"

He shrugged. "Let us get you inside before you freeze," he murmured.

"Mokomoko is keeping me very warm," she chuckled.

He shook his head as they walked back, he kept his hand in hers', transferring enough of his ki to keep her atop the snow with him.

"Do you know why your father would want you back now?" she asked.

He shook his head as they walked up the steps of the home he had built.

"Is it Naraku again?" she asked warily as she eyed him with genuine concern.

"I doubt it, Bakusaiga obliterated any and all remains of the spider," he dismissed as he again shut the doors of their home. She shivered a bit, and he drew mokomoko around her a bit more tightly as he pulled the kaiken from her obi. He looked at it then at his mate and nodded in approval.

"Of course, I am the wife of Sesshōmaru-sama, I am not fool enough to walk around unarmed," she chuckled.

"This afternoon," he started.

"I was doing laundry, my lord, laundry! How was I supposed to anticipate an attack when my husband was somewhere in the woods with our daughters, and I was home doing laundry!?" she defended.

He just shook his head.

"Let's get you washed up, and you're burning those before the girls are awake," she warned as she tugged on the clothes he was wearing. "Last thing I need is them rolling in the blood scent again."

"It was one dead duck," he grumbled.

"They smelled for an entire moon cycle!" she stated. He didn't see what the problem was, it wasn't like he had taken them to a battlefield to roll around the scent of death. Besides, they were inu, hanyō or not they would have inu traits, and he was ashamed to admit it, but some scents were just too good not to hunt down and roll in. "Don't, you are burning those clothes, if only because I don't want to wash them or play keep away with Towa and Setsuna," she rolled her eyes.

He leaned over and kissed her lightly, there were some small sounds which had him nudging his mate in the direction of their daughters.

"Food time," she sighed as she left him.

He nipped the lobe of her ear and smiled as she swatted him playfully before he walked for their bathhouse. Rin hadn't needed to tell him to burn his clothes, he wouldn't want his daughters smelling like this, ever, for any reason, and especially not like their grand sire, he would sooner die than permit that to happening. Tōga could burn in hell before Sesshōmaru would permit his father near his mate and pups.

* * *

InuYasha lay in a sleepy haze beside his lover. He had snuck out and away from his father for this rendezvous, it was a delight to see her. Moving her hair aside he smiled at the hazy look of pleasure she still lay there catching her breath.

"That was," her breath hitched.

"Yeah," he smiled.

"What brought you here?" she sighed as her hand weakly touched his chest and she moved.

He didn't answer that as he looked at the ceiling of her small hut.

"'Yasha," she sighed.

"My father," he answered.

"What happened?" she asked.

"He wants us to find someone," he answered as she rolled onto his chest, his claws moved over her hair.

"Who?"

"Sesshōmaru-sama," he answered her as his claws slid over her spine.

"Sesshōmaru-sama?" she asked as she sat up.

"You know him?" he asked pushing himself up to his elbows.

"Hai, he's… he's our protector," she explained as she pulled on a bit of clothing and left her futon.

"Your protector?" he inquired; his ears twitched in agitation at this information. Until a few days ago he hadn't even known about Sesshōmaru. No one had ever spoken of his elder brother, and frankly, InuYasha had thought that the bastard was fictious, his father was somewhat like that at times. Especially now as Sō'unga ravaged more and more of Tōga's sanity. Karinmaru was also becoming an increasing problem, helping to isolate his father more and more from his advisors, Tōtōsai and Myōga were both expressing concerns about that.

"Hai, he's lord of these lands," she explained as she started making some tea.

"Since when?"

"Since about three hundred years ago," she answered.

InuYasha stared dumbly at her.

"You didn't know?" she asked.

"No, no idea." He was stunned, his brother, a brother he hadn't even known about was residing here in the mortal realm.

"Hai, he got married recently," she chuckled. "It was a massive announcement though the wedding was small, no one has ever seen Sesshōmaru-sama's wife, and no one knows where he resides."

"But he's lord of these lands?"

"Hai, he protects us, he killed the Mongol invaders, and the Western tradesmen who invaded," she explained.

"I had no idea; how do I find him?" InuYasha asked.

"They say he lives in the sacred mountains," she explained as she pulled back the covering on her window. "He resides where realms collide," she gestured, and he looked out the window then. "His wife is said to be Yasha-hime," she explained. "A spirit of the forest personified, so beautiful he will never permit anyone to gaze upon her or invade her home."

"Yasha-hime?" he raised a brow at that.

"I'm just telling you the rumors circulating through the villages, and his provences," she shrugged. "Most of his decrees and ruling comes through his beta, a hyakkikoumori known as Tsukuyomaru-dono and his retainer, a kappa, Jaken."

"Does he have humans in his court?" InuYasha queried.

"As far as I know, no, but then I'm a miko, I don't deal with royal matters, and even then, I don't think many of his court have ever actually seen him outside of battle," she mused.

"Then why is he your lord?"

"He's fair, and patient I've heard," she answered. "I honestly don't know, we've followed him for three hundred years and for the most part we leave him alone, he leaves us alone, but he protects this area, if you're lucky you'll see a massive white shikoku inu walking through the forest. I saw him once, it was… it was a magnificent sight, I was a little girl. It was just after a tsunami, and so many of us needed shelter, aid, protection, it was when I lost my twin, Kikyō, I was in despair. He came though, he came and was very patient, he and his yōkai worked on aiding us, giving out food, over seeing reconstruction and medical aid, and he was there to see to it."

"You never told me that!"

"You never asked, and it was before you came to the mortal realm," she pointed out.

"So, he's here," InuYasha murmured.

"Hai, Sesshōmaru-sama is here and he's very alive."

"Would you be willing to help me find him!?"

"What!?"

"Hai, my father… we need him, Kagome."

"I… I wouldn't even know where to begin looking for him!" she sputtered.

"Those mountains! Like you said."

"That's a rumor of where he could, InuYasha, I have no idea if he is actually there!"

"We need to try!" InuYasha whispered. "Please, it's… it's important."

"It's always important," she sighed. "Very well, after the snow has passed."

"Thank you," he smiled as he kissed her cheek. Perhaps this wasn't as hopeless as he thought it, not if Sesshōmaru was residing in the mortal realm.

* * *

It was early morning when Rin left her bed again, she peeked in on her daughters and saw that they were both sleeping soundly. Smiling to herself she tugged her robe tighter around herself as she sought out her daiyōkai husband.

There was a hot pot of tea prepped, along with a cup set out for her, so she poured herself a cup and walked out on the engawa to see him sitting there, a bloodied rag and iced over bucket of sudsy water beside him while he sipped his own warm tea wrapped in his mokomoko. She didn't hesitate as she walked to sit beside him, his mokomok wrapped itself around her to pull her into his side as they both sat there watching the sun peeking through the heavy clouds.

"Morning," she yawned as she leaned on his shoulder a little.

He didn't respond. She wasn't discouraged as they both sat there, her husband was a quiet soul, very quiet and solemn.

"The girls are still sleeping."

He nodded.

"I have to go to the village today," she remarked to him.

He raised a brow at her.

"The human needs some foods, and I should collect material to make the girls some warmer clothes," she remarked.

He seemed to relax at this.

"Did you finish cleaning up the rest?" she asked.

"The bodies were destroyed, and all evidence is discarded by the blizzard."

"That is good," she said.

"I spoke to Bokusenō," he stated. She sighed, so he had already seen Bokusenō, that would explain why her engawa was pristine again; Sesshōmaru usually did things like cleaning after he had aggravating talks with his closest advisor.

"And?"

"There will be more, he's sent his sons to find me," he answered.

"I see."

"You and the girls…" he started.

"Will be remaining here, anata," she murmured and tilted her head a bit to look at him. "We remain with you, you're our alpha and my husband, our place is and always will be with you," she assured him softly.

"I did not know he had had more sons," he murmured.

"That is to be expected, you left three hundred years ago," she pointed out.

He turned his head a little to press his nose against her temple rather gently.

"So, when I'm in the village, do you need anything?" she asked him.

"No," he murmured.

"I should get material for you," she observed as she toyed with his sleeve end noting how worn his clothes were.

"Do as you please, Rin," he said softly.

"Thank you, I will, I should start on breakfast before the girls are awake."

"Tsukuyomaru will be here today," he informed her.

"I see, I will collect things for Shiori and Shizu's meal tonight," she decided as she finished her tea and got up to start her day.

Setsuna woke first, for Setsuna was her more yōkai child and needed little sleep, the pup crawled onto Rin's lap, wrapping her mokomoko around Rin's waist as Rin worked. Towa stumbled out of her room, her short hair sticking up wildly as the pup yawned and struggled to wake. Sesshōmaru entered then and picked up Towa before the pup fell into the cooking fire.

"Who will watch the girls?" Rin asked.

"I will manage until you return, if something should arise, Jaken or Shiori will," he said as he poured them both some tea. She accepted as she continued her cooking.

"Very well," she nodded.

"Rin," he called and she looked over at him as she worked. "Take Bakusaiga," he ordered.

"Very well my lord," she nodded.

"Mama!" Towa bellowed as Setsuna stole a bit of pork.

"Hai?" she drawled out as she held out a bit of pork for Towa who snatched it up and gleefully ate.

"I will take you to the village," he started.

"No, you will stay and watch our daughters, I will take A-Un," she exchanged.

He nodded in acceptance to that.

"I'll be fine, I promise my lord, the new problem will be managed, either you will solve it or I will," she promised as she started serving herself and her daughters. He smirked at her answer and she smiled, it did her good to remind him that she was not the little helpless pup he had met so long ago, she was a woman, and she wasn't meek or defenseless. If she was, then she wouldn't be his.

Breakfast was a messy affair, both their pups weren't quite a year old yet and any meal with solids was a challenge with the pups, but they won out and all ended up in the bath house to clean off breakfast.

"Why do babies always smell so good?" she asked as she had her nose buried in Towa's locks while Sesshōmaru dried off Setsuna.

He shrugged and she smiled as she hugged Towa closer and finished dressing the girl.

With that accomplished Rin changed and pulled her hair up a little. She had never been patient enough to put her hair up in traditional styles. Dressed, and wrapped up in a warm fur she went about saddling A-Un.

Sesshōmaru appeared with Bakusaiga and a few knives and kaiken in his hands.

"That's excessive," she chuckled as she started securing the weapons to her person.

"Humans are fragile," he pointed out as he loomed over her, securing a throwing knife to her wrist.

"Mmm, but we're not weak," she pointed out.

"I'd rather not have my human dead," he pointed out.

"I haven't died yet," she chuckled.

"I'd rather you not die at all," he countered.

"I'll be fine, my lord, see you when I return," she promised as she secured the bow and her quiver before swinging up on A-Un. "Keep the girls out of trouble," she murmured as she leaned over to kiss him, his claws slid into her hair before he released her. Urging A-Un into a trot she road down the road and waved off her husband as she entered the forest.


	3. Chapter 3

InuYasha was quietly following Kagome through the village, she had hidden his hair and ears, much to his annoyance.

"I didn't need to cover my ears!" he grumbled as they walked through the village. Most of the villagers were moving the snow now that blizzard had blown over.

"While our area is more tolerant of yōkai and hanyō you look like him and it would draw attention," Kagome explained.

"I thought he doesn't come here," InuYasha said.

"He doesn't, but his white hair is a distinct feature," Kagome said. "Other than a handful of daiyōkai and hanyō who are known in the region you aren't known so the mistakes could be made."

"Oh. Where are we going?"

"You want to find Sesshōmaru-sama we need to speak to the yōkai taijiya," she explained.

"Yōkai taijiya know where Sesshōmaru is?" he snorted.

"No, but they would have the best idea, as they know this region better than anyone and he's been known to communicate with them, so they would probably know where to look." She explained. InuYasha shook his head as they walked through the village until they came towards a fort like house.

"In the event of an invasion Sesshōmaru-sama had this built for women and children and non-combatants, the yōkai taijiya used to reside here before Naraku killed all but two of them. Sesshōmaru-sama has permitted them to rebuild, if anyone knows where Sesshōmaru-sama might be, it'll be Kohaku or Sango," she said as they walked into the compound.

"Kagome!" a pregnant woman shouted, and his head snapped over as a monk appeared beside the pregnant woman.

"Oba-san!" a set of child voices screamed and he saw a set of human pups come blasting out of the house into the snow piles.

"Sango! Miroku!" Kagome smiled as she walked away from him. "Hello Kin'u and Gyokuto!"

"What has brought you our way?" Sango asked.

"Actually, him," she turned and gestured to him which had the monk and woman looking at him. "He needs your assistance."

"I'm looking for Sesshōmaru," he answered gruffly.

"Ah, why?" the monk asked.

"He's my brother," he explained.

"Come in," the woman said.

Walking into the house he was surprised at the warmth and beauty of the home, it wasn't like any shiro he'd resided in.

"So why do you seek Sesshōmaru-sama?" the monk asked. "I'm Miroku, by the way."

"InuYasha, and he's my brother," he repeated. "Our father has ordered his return to the Shikoku InuYōkai Territories as heir."

"Hai, I bet he is, but he's our sovereign and he hasn't wanted to make himself known to anyone really," Miroku said.

"Who has he made himself known to?" InuYasha asked.

"No one," Miroku answered. "Of course we have ideas of where he could be."

"And who would know that best?"

"Kohaku used to follow him around," the woman said walking in with tea.

"Thank you, Sango," Kagome said as she accepted a cup.

"You're welcome, he said that Sesshōmaru didn't have a home, he travelled around," Sango explained.

InuYasha didn't respond to that as he listened to the people chatting now. Kagome was asking questions and the pair across from him were politely answering.

There was a new scent and the door was opened.

"Kohaku!"

"Hey, I'm back! Yōkai was a weakling," the young human male said.

"That's good," Sango said as she held up a cup of tea then.

"Who's this?"

"This is InuYasha-sama," Sango announced. "Sesshōmaru-sama's brother."

The young man looked at InuYasha then, his dark eyes were serious and solemn, his brown hair drawn back in a tail, his armor was obviously the best he could afford, compiled of dead yōkai bones.

"Why do you see Sesshōmaru-sama?" the young man asked.

"Our father has a request for Sesshōmaru to return to the Shikoku InuYōkai Clan to be the heir," InuYasha stated.

"I see," Kohaku said.

"I will find him one way or another and you can either help me or not," InuYasha said.

Kohaku snorted. "There is only one creature on the planet who can find Sesshōmaru-sama."

"And who is that?"

"Yasha-hime," Kohaku answered.

"And do you know who that is?"

"No, but I know someone who might," Kohaku replied. "She's a mute though, she resides in the forest."

"You mean that mute orphan girl!" Kagome exclaimed.

"Hai, I saw her when I returned, she was at the clothing merchant when I road through town, she shouldn't be gone yet," Kohaku said.

"What's her name?"

"No one actually knows," Kagome said. "I know who you're talking about, Kohaku."

"I… I was going to give her some… you know," the young man said uneasily.

"You wish to mate her," Inuyasha guessed from the scent of the boy.

"InuYasha!" Kagome snapped.

"What!? Boy smells like mating when he was talking about her!" he defended.

"Is this true Kohaku!?" Sango demanded.

"Um… yeah," the boy admitted nervously. "Anyways, she's in the village right now, she would know how to find Yasha-hime, no one knows the forest better than she," Kohaku explained.

"Really?"

"Hai, I've… she's tracked yōkai, animals, and bandits at times, she last helped us with Setsuna no Takemaru," he said. "Come on, if we hurry, we'll catch her before she leaves," Kohaku said.

InuYasha was grumbling as he followed the boy out of the house and into the snow. He didn't get how everyone could seem to know his brother and yet no one knew where he was. It wasn't like a daiyōkai of their father's power could hid, and if his brother was powerful then he didn't think Sesshōmaru could hide such power.

They made it to the village and he saw the merchants working hard, there were few customers though.

"There she is!" Kohaku shouted and ran past him towards a girl who appeared holding a few hefty bolts of fabric and a load of what smelled like food.

"Hey!" Kohaku shouted and the woman turned.

"Hey, wait up!" Kohaku finally brought them to her. "Oh, um… sorry, here, let me."

* * *

Rin had been humming to herself when she arrived to the village before terror of proximity to humans had her voice fading. It was an irrational fear Rin had never mastered, she was rather ashamed of that, but she couldn't control it, she hated coming to the village but she had to. She needed material for her daughter's clothing, and she needed food for herself and her girls. At the very least she needed supplies to last a long winter, the recent blizzard was nothing compared to what was to come, if anything it was an indication of what was coming. In the village people were polite to her, but she knew they viewed her as a vagabond or harlot of some sort, she kept her husband's coinpurse concealed and close as she went about her business.

She was rather proud of herself, her hands didn't shake as she pointed to what she wanted and needed.

Finally though she had come to the silk shop and she was looking through the offered materials. Sesshōmaru would want something simple, she found a beautiful white cloth with some violet embroidery thread, deep plum violet, as well as some reds. For Towa she selected a vibrant violet as it was her eldest daughter's favorite color, and she selected a deep blue for Setsuna. She was certain they would love it. With those bolts of cloth selected she felt comfortable leaving the village and not needing to return for a long while. At least she was until she heard a familiar voice and turned to see Kohaku making his way towards her.

She tensed even as he awkwardly took her load, and she backed up a few steps, her hand wandering within her sleeves as she rechecked the weapons her husband had secured on her person.

Rin knew Kohaku, remembered him following Sesshōmaru around during the Naraku threat, the boy had sought vengeance while she had sought refuge.

"Um… hello," a new voice said and her head snapped over to the miko walking with the boy, but her eyes went to the hanyō who was looked somewhat similar to her lord and husband, which had her wanting to attack.

"These are Kagome and InuYasha, they were wondering if you could help us," Kohaku said.

"You carry a yōkai fang," InuYasha stated.

Rin nodded warily, she couldn't hide that with Bakusaiga on her hip.

"What, no she doesn't, oh," Kohaku blinked as he finally noticed Bakusaiga on her hip. Rin made the mental calculation on who to move against first as she looked over the three.

"We're not here for trouble," the miko said as if sensing her unease. Rin's eyes narrowed then. "We were wondering if you would be willing to take us to Yasha-hime, we need to speak to her husband, Sesshōmaru-sama," the miko said.

Rin frowned.

"Please, it's important," Kohaku said as he held her things.

"Guys… I think she is Yasha-hime," InuYasha stated staring at her hard. She moved fast as she kicked out Kohaku's knee and then threw a dagger at the miko before letting out a piercing whistle for A-Un. InuYasha caught her arm, she swung around with her kaiken, going for his throat as she snarled ferally before she ran. The dragon appeared in the skies over the rooftops and she nimbly moved.

"Hey lady! We don't want to hurt you!" the hanyō leapt over her and she growled lowly as she lowered herself. "Look I just want to," he started she slashed at his arms as she pushed herself over his shoulder, kicking his head as she leapt for A-Un. Catching the saddle she pulled herself into he seat as she urged her faithful friend faster, the dragon understood her urgency. There was a streak of red and she tapped A's head which had the dragon blasting at the streak. They took to the forest swiftly and she checked for a follow.

"Damnit!" she screamed. She had needed that material too! Sighing she nudged A-Un into a trot as they moved through the forest towards her home.

Suddenly there was red in front of her and she found herself looking at the hanyō.

"Listen here lady, I don't know what you think…" he started as he pulled his fang.

"Cute, I have one too," she snarled as she moved fast, pulling Bakusaiga as she attacked. She had been taken by surprise in her own home, but here she was aware.

"Kami! Lady!" he yelped as Bakusaiga collided with his fang and the power rippled through the air. "Look! I just want to talk with him!"

"The last one who said that tried to kill me!" she growled as she kicked his leg out from under him, twisting out of the way as she pulled her knife and held it as her defense. Moving swiftly she went to disarm him, or to kill, whichever happened first, the cold was burning in her lungs and she felt her energy wearing out, she wouldn't lead him to her husband or pups though, she couldn't permit that. So she fought, she could tell the hanyō wasn't much of a swordsman, he relied on strength, she relied on accuracy and speed.

Finally, though she found herself pinned under his weight.

"Lady! I just want to talk!" he shouted.

She snarled as she tried to knock him off her. There was a blast of light and he was finally off her, she rolled to her feet as two serpent heads snaked around her bearing their fangs.

"Tell the Inu no Taishō we want nothing to do with him, and the next of you to come near us will be sent back in pieces!" she snapped as she mounted the dragon and spurred A-Un into the air. She wasn't hanging around to see if the hanyō understood her message, she wanted to get out of here as swiftly as she possibly could. The dragon didn't slow as she made her way home, she just wanted her husband now.

* * *

Sesshōmaru sat on his engawa with Tsukuyomaru as they watched their daughters play.

"Send word to every province that the ookami are not allies, those seeking me will perish, and if there is word from the Inu no Taishō he should come challenge me directly," Sesshōmaru said softly.

"Of course, the yōkai and humans are uneasy though, they fear this has something to do with Naraku," Tsukuyomaru stated.

"No, the hanyō is dead," Sesshōmaru stated rather firmly. He had cut Naraku down to nothing, Bakusaiga had obliterated whatever remained so the hanyō could no longer reform or reanimate whatever body he desired.

"And your mate?"

"Anyone who should lay a finger on her will answer to me," he growled lowly. He had never forgotten his mate's mortality problem, even when she dismissed it so casually. No one would end Rin's life before It was her time, he refused to permit it.

There was a sound in the west which had him lifting his head as A-Un came flying towards them, Rin leapt down and didn't slow her run until he caught her. Tsukuyomaru didn't need instructions to leave as he collected his daughter and disappeared.

"Rin," he said as he pulled his mate back, inspecting her carefully, there was a cut on her cheek and she reeked of blood, he was relieved it wasn't hers.

"Your father sent others after you," she murmured as she sagged in his arms. He scooped her up, then collected their confused daughters as he brought her into the house. Jaken didn't need instructions to go settle A-Un. Putting Rin down in their room on their futon he started stripping her to inspect her. There were bruises blooming heavily all over her body, but she didn't seem damaged.

"Who did he send?" Sesshōmaru demanded.

"I don't know, they said his name was InuYasha," she explained as he finished his inspection and went to her medicine cabinet. Collecting everything he had seen her use for bruises he brought it to her. She pointed to a small container and he started putting it on carefully. A small hiss escaped her lips as he worked.

"Lift," he ordered as he tapped her elbow, Rin did so and he finished before grabbing her some of his garments. He wanted that scent off her, and his back on her, everywhere. Rin raised a brow as she inspected the garment and he gestured impatiently for her to get dressed as he went to go check on their girls. Setsuna had wrapped herself up in her mokomoko while Towa was trying to climb the fusuma to the ranma, he caught her when she slipped though.

Rin remerged dressed, her heavy hair down now as she combed it.

"I didn't get any of the supplies," she sighed tiredly. "I bought them but I was interrupted and had to leave them."

"You are more important than things," he reminded her sharply. "I will send Jaken to get what you want," he promised as he came over and pressed his nose to her temple, reveling in the security of having his mate safe again.

"They called me Yasha-hime," she mused quietly as she went down on the pillows, he had pulled out for her earlier that afternoon. It was her favorite spot in the house, it got all the afternoon sun, and she liked sewing there. He had even pulled out her sewing kit. Sesshōmaru picked up Bakusaiga and her kaiken from her as she lay in the furry pillows then.

"Yaha-hime?" he mused as he pulled the blades to inspect. He'd have to clean them, he resheathed them for later cleaning because Towa was currently trying to gnaw on Bakusaiga's sheath.

"Hai, why would they call me that?" Rin asked as Setsuna clambered up to her mother's stomach and curled up. He scented Rin's pain but neither of them made a move to dislodge Setsuna from her perch. Instead he put Bakusaiga and the kaiken out of Towa's reach, scooped up his elder pup and went to sit with his mate.

Sitting he dragged his claws through her hair and soothed himself with the fact his entire pack was safe and sound again in the security of his den. He lay down and wrapped himself around Rin, draping mokomoko over her and their pups.

"Appropriate," he decided after some time.

"I'm not a princess though, just an orphan," she snorted.

"You're mine," he countered.

"Hai, yours," she agreed with a soft smile. He watched as Towa started stalking the end of his mokomoko.

* * *

InuYasha sat in the yōkai taijiya's home and winced as his wounds were treated; the cuts that woman had inflicted weren't healing, at least, the cuts inflicted by her fang.

"Who the hell was that!?" he demanded.

"She doesn't have a name," Kohaku grunted as his sister reset his knee.

"She was an orphan," the monk said as he sat down. "That's all we know for sure, it was before any of us were here, or before she arrived in the area. No one knows anything about her really."

"She shows up for supplies every once in and a while, pays with gold coins and leaves," Kohaku explained in a tight voice. "She's a hunter, I've worked with her before."

"And you didn't think it odd she carries a yōkai fang!?" InuYasha demanded and howled when his wound stung.

"Honestly, no, no one knows her or anything about her, she could've been a hanyō for all we know!" Sango snapped. "And Kohaku, this is your own fault for not taking her as a serious threat!"

"I know, I didn't think she was Yasha-hime!" Kohaku groaned.

"Well whoever she is, I'm going to find her and have her take me to talk to Sesshōmaru," InuYasha growled lowly. InuYasha had to admit though, Yasha-hime was a formidable warrior, he hadn't thought a human could be so skilled, and she drew on ki to enhance her skills. Whoever she was to Sesshōmaru she had been trained well.


	4. Chapter 4

Rin sat between her husband's legs as he was reading over his current selection of poetry, Towa and Setsuna were sound asleep by the fire right now. Her husband's voice was a low, soft, cold tone which was soothing, gentle, and very tempered. Sesshōmaru was always a tempered creature, he never raised his voice or lost his temper, which was his most admirable quality. Tilting her head back she studied his profile.

"What?" he asked softly.

"Nothing, just admiring," she admitted with a smile.

"Mmm," he hummed as he set the text in her lab and his claws rested on his knee as his other hand snaked around her waist.

"I'm feeling better, anata," she promised him. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.

"Let us put them to bed," he said as he looked at Towa and Setsuna who were hugging one another. She nodded as he moved away from her to collect their daughters, she got up to go prep the girls' futon. They slept together, Towa would scream if she slept alone and Setsuna would just lay awake watching the world as if it would attack her if she let her guard down. Wincing Rin reached for the bedding when her husband's hard appeared and he grabbed the bedding before she could.

"Rest," he ordered and directed her to their daughters he had brought into the smaller room they had for their girls. It didn't take them long to put the girls on the futon and return to the main room. Rin winced as she lowered herself down, Sesshōmaru immediately took a seat behind her, wrapping himself around her rather casually as he held his book in hand.

"So, do you wish to talk about your father?" she drawled out rather carefully as she traced patterns on his hand.

"No," he said softly.

"Then about your birthright," she tapped his brow which was the mark of Tsukuyomi-kami.

"When you speak of yours," he countered tapping her brow where a mark rarely showed, but she smiled.

"My family were Amaterasu's champions, guardians of the Shikon no Tama, bright, fiery, life, creatures of the day before we mingled with humans, and became mortal," she said twisting in her husbands arms as she shoved him down. Her black hair spilled around them to shield them from the world and her lips turned upwards. "My birthright is burn brightly, brilliantly, to bring life and joy to the hearts of man and to guide humans, to protect them."

"You do," he murmured softly.

"No I don't, my lord, not anymore" she whispered mournfully. "I fear humans too much to ever desire to burn brilliantly for them again," she admitted as his clawed hand cam up to cup her cheek. She could still feel the sun mark on her brow, even as she strayed from her fate, her destiny, her family had fallen so long ago that it was almost forgotten stories of who they had been. "One of my ancestoris decided he tired of serving the Kami who sent us after Tsukuyomi's yōkai followers, he tired of losing his sons to the hands of the Destruction of Life, Killing Perfection, the Perfect Assassin, so he renounced Amateraso-kami and her war against her husband and became a farmer. Our heritage was forgotten and lost, that is my birthright, my lord. Now yours."

"I am Tsukuyomi-kami's instrument of death," he murmured softly. "I am the Inu no Taishō of the Shikoku InuYōkai Clan, Alpha of the Shikoku InuYōkai Pack, right hand of Tsukuyomi-kami, and I am exiled," he reminded her.

"Mmm, so why is your father after you, my lord?" she challenged as she felt his claws leave her cheek and his fingers trace her spine.

"Because he is weak," he growled with a small smile on his lips, his amber eyes burned brilliantly as his yōkai markings started to go ragged. Now he rolled them, coming to rest between her legs, she tugged off the tie keeping his clothing together and tossed it away as her fingers slid beneath the silks he wore, he growled lowly and she heard her obi tear.

"Why is he weak?"

"The title he seeks to hold is passed through the maternal lines of my family, the power he so covets is mine, it was always mine," he murmured.

"And our daughter's," she whispered as he kissed her jawline.

"Hai, it is theirs and whatever pups we should sire," he agreed softly.

She shoved his shoulder to roll atop him, her robe being discarded, she noted his distraction at her naked form as she gingerly traced the outlines of his smooth muscles. "Then why is he after you, anata?"

"Hell if I know," he murmured as he sat up, she slid onto his lap, his mouth capturing hers. Like a servant of the moon her lover and lord husband was a consuming man, ever changing, demanding, but predictable. Her hands tangled in his hair as he gripped her hips, she ground against him

"That won't do, my lord," she gasped as she pulled away from the kiss.

"It will have to," he snarled as his claws tightened, drawing blood, she smiled as her hand clawed his back and she arched. Kami, the daiyōkai did know how to set her afire as his mouth moved over her, his tongue lapping at her pulse and she moaned.

"You won't distract me," she groaned. "Why is your father after you?" she demanded as one of his hands came up to tease her nipple. Instinctively she moved to press herself closer to him. She retaliated by reaching between them to cup him, the stifled sound from the back of his throat had her smiling.

"Rin," he snarled her name like a curse.

"Why?" she whimpered when he changed tactics and his claws found her soaked.

"He fears me, he needs me, he needs my skills, he fears my power," he moaned as she moved her fingers to trace his length through his clothing. "Does it matter, I will kill him before he gets near you," he moaned.

"Promise?"

"Hai," he hissed. "Now stop being a cock tease," he snarled as his fangs tugged on the lobe of her ear.

* * *

InuYasha looked up when the miko walked out and she sat carefully.

"How's your shoulder?" he asked as he accepted the tea from her.

"It will be fine," she admitted. "InuYasha?"

"Yeah?"

"Why did you call her Yasha-hime? What made you think she was Yasha-hime?"

"The fang she bore," he admitted. He had felt that sort of power, it was usually from Sō'unga but that fang had seemed… more, so much more, it was startling. And the girl, she scented like a human, but the subtle shift of the winds and he smelt the inu daiyōkai almost seeped in her blood, a powerful mate had claimed her. He could scent the drying milk in her body, the ripening for another child, the scent of the last pregnancy was wearing off her. There was a residual power clinging to her, not yōki, but something, it wasn't like the spiritual powers of a miko, but it was powerful. "She also… she smelled."

"Of what?"

"The forest, inu daiyōkai, and you said that it was announced Sesshōmaru had taken a mate only known as Yasha-hime, so I just, I guessed," he admitted then snorted. "Never thought the bastard would take a human mate though."

"Why?"

"Father said the bastard hated anyone weaker than him, it was why he tried to kill my mother," he said softly. Izayoi, his mother, she had been terrified of the mere name of his brother. If ever a name held power it was Sesshōmaru's. Sesshōmaru's name suited him for everything that he was and InuYasha wanted to hate that but he couldn't deny that the admiration that other daiyōkai held for his missing brother was something he envied. InuYasha was the closest to thing to being a yōkai that a hanyō could be, but there was no doubts that his power was meager in comparison to his brother. His brother was known for having killed Ryūkotsuse, slaughtering the Shitōshin, destroying the Mongol Invassion, killing Menōmaru, known right hand of Tsukuyomi-kami, and a renowned assassin and warrior. Sesshōmaru's power, his reputation, it was unmatched apparently, and he knew it, no one would ever be equal to his brother. He didn't even think his father could be equal to his brother.

"Maybe he's changed," Kagome offered him.

"Yōkai, especially daiyōkai, do not change," he retorted. "We're more or less immortal, if anything we become more set in who we are," he admitted softly

"Nonsense, yōkai are living beings, they change and evolve," Kagome insisted.

He didn't counter, he couldn't, he was only a hanyō, unlike his brother Kōga and unlike Sesshōmaru, InuYasha was subjected to change, it was a part of his human nature to change, to adapt. Yōkai though, in his experience, didn't change. They were like the kami, they had too long of lives to value mortal concept of time.

* * *

Sesshōmaru lay beside his sleeping mate and traced the mark on her brow, it was a small mark, almost like a swirl or phoenix flower, the bright red mark was the mark of Amaterasu-kami and her righthands, who had disappeared. He had killed the last one, a Midoriko, in heated battle, the mortal had died smiling on his claws well over a thousand years ago. He hadn't thought about her until Rin dropped into his life.

By happenstance or bad fucking luck, the champions in Amaterasu-kami and Tsukuyomi-kami's eternal conflict had met, it was startling the way his ki and hers' reacted, it was like being hit by a typhoon. More startling, she was young, a pup really, he would not kill a pup, but he would not aid her, she was a servant of Amaterasu, and he Tsukuyomi, they would never be together.

Like day and night, they would never be together.

Or so he thought.

Sesshōmaru had long since resigned himself to a life of solitude and peace, he ruled his territory in peace, and kept those residing here safe. He evaded his kami's calls, for his father had banished him, the affairs of the universe were no longer his concern, nor was the conflicts of the kami.

Rin though, she was persistent, he would give her credit for that, the pup had dogged his heels, begged him to teach her how to be like him, how to use her family's ability, and for a mortal she was more determined than he ever gave her credit for. Before he knew it he had a friend, and companion, he could teach her, spar with her, and unlike normal mortals, she could take it. Her power was not spiritual, it was divine, and it felt good to know that he had someone of equal power to rely on in his life.

The mark of Amaterasu-kami would appear on her brow when she used her ki, it would burn on her brow when her temper was running high, or when her righteous indignation would rear it's head, or when her passions burned. He found it fascinating.

Neither of their daughters bore the marks of the kami they served, and for that he was grateful, he would not want his pups torn apart by the birthrights he and Rin claimed and possessed. Even in exile they claimed their birthrights.

Carefully he reached over and traced his mate's cheek.

She cracked an eye open. "Don't get any ideas, I'm not done having my wicked ways with you," she warned sleepily.

"Oh?" he raised a brow as he pulled himself to loom over her.

"Hai," she yawned.

"Not if I have my wicked ways with you first," he whispered in her ear as he kissed her neck.

"Mmm… and what would you have me do, my lord," she asked as he kissed his way down her spine, he hummed in response to her inquiry.

"So many things," he whispered honestly as he scented his prize, she was getting wetter if that was possible, their mixed fluids already stained mokomoko. He didn't mind though, he wanted to bathe in her scent, her essence, he wanted her so thoroughly claimed she would not be able to walk and he would never rid himself of her scent. He wanted them both so thoroughly claimed she could never leave him.

* * *

Rin moaned as she clawed at the furs of mokomoko, her husband's boa was already moving her to be on her hands and knees, her ass in the air, and he hummed. Sesshōmaru's nose traced her thigh, which had her almost groaning in anticipation for him.

"I need to be more careful," he murmured.

"No!" she moaned as his tongue moved over the wounds his claws had inflicted on her earlier.

"You were injured earlier," he pointed out, his tone infuriatingly indifferent.

"Sesshōmaru!" she snapped. "Human, not weak or fragile! I am human!" she snapped irritably at her husband.

"So I am reminded," her husband breathed against her core before his tongue slid over her, she whimpered again as his fangs nipped her lightly before he delved deeper. Good Kami! She gasped as his tongue plundered her, their earlier union had not deterred him, but rather he growled lowly in delight. A low moan escaped her as his tongue moved in her, lapping her up as if she were a delectable sweet, which had her fingers curling into mokomoko tightly. Mokomoko wasn't passive as the appendage moved to tease her breasts. A soft cry escaped her as the fur tormented her, moving beneath her, teasing her already sensitive skin as her husband's mouth ignited an unrelenting fire within her blood.

"Seshō!" she started and bit her lip hard when his claws left her hips to tease her nerves, parting her folds as he devoured her. Mokomoko wasn't helping as it wrapped around her, keeping her hips still.

"Rin," her husband's voice rumbled, which was enough to have her collapsing to her elbows.

"Fuck!" she whimpered, it felt like she was being consumed by lightning, she could feel the fur teasing her nipples to be painfully hard at the feathery touch, and his claws were circling, pinching, and teasing her nerves, then his mouth! Good Kami! This man's mouth was a weapon, as an inuyōkai he had a longer tongue than mortal men, and it was far more dexterous, and it lavished her. Rin moaned as she tried to move her hips, feeling sensations and a tension building in her, suddenly his tongue flicked, rather teasingly at a rough spot within her.

The cry had her trembling as she felt that storm attempting to consume her.

"Quiet, anata, wouldn't want to wake the girls," he paused his ministrations.

"Fuck me!" she pleaded with him.

"So crass," he purred.

"Sesshōmaru, if you do not let me come or fuck me, I won't let you have any for a month!" she hissed.

"I don't think so," he whispered as he licked her slit, and lightly teased her nerves. "You're fertile," he murmured. Sesshōmaru had a fondness for thoroughly fucking her when she was 'fertile', he loved the smell, and it was usually a period that he was all over, she couldn't deny loving his advances either, all his attention, focus, dedication, it was some of their best sex; other than pregnancy sex.

"Kami!" she moaned as her head fell to her arms, the furs around her breasts were moving again, softly, and suddenly he slipped a finger into her. She whimpered lowly, almost wantonly as he held it there, then crooked it.

"Sesshō!" she hissed furiously.

"Rin," he replied levelly in his soft, tempered tone.

"If you do not fuck me thoroughly, fertile or not, you will not get any!" she warned as she looked over her shoulder at her husband who sat there with her juices coating his lips and chin, and a smug look of victory. Another moan escaped her as he looked her dead in the eye and added another finger, scissoring them within her. Fucking yōkai!

"I think you wouldn't hold out," he promised.

"Test me," she warned.

Her husband came to be by her head and smiled, rather predatorily as he watched her. She whimpered when his thumb slid between her folds to her nerves.

"I will," he murmured.

She didn't get to protest as he kissed her shoulder and removed his hand. Before she could argue with him he was behind her, she could feel his hard length sliding over her dripping sex, and she whimpered. Before she could utter another sound both their breathes hitched as his tip slid into her entrance, the sound which tore from her throat as he slid deeper in until he was seated surprised both of them so much he stopped, his claws gripping her hips tighter as mokomoko wrapped around her thigh and his own probably.

"Rin," he purred.

"Sesshōmaru," she whimpered, she wanted him to move, now, she wanted him to move right now because she didn't know how much more of this she could take. He pulled back, she cried out as he slid deeper within her again, starting a pace as his claws gripped her hips, reopening old scars. The heat was building as he set a brutal pace, her entire world narrowed down to the sensation of him moving within her, as he brought her higher and higher and nearer to the impossible edge she sought.

He yanked her up with a vicious snarl, his teeth traced her pulse, so she moved to her head to the side for him as she gripped his arms for support. His claws were careful not to tear into her as he kept his brutal pace.

She almost screamed when his mokomoko snaked between her legs, teasing her as it slid up to her breasts. Rin felt his end coming nearer as his pace picked up, she fell apart in his arms though when his knot started swelling within her. The strangle cry from her was his undoing as he slowed within her and his release came. Falling on mokomoko she tried to catch her breath as her husband moved her hair off her temple.

"My father will come, anata, I will not leave you," he murmured. "Birthrights be damned."

"Birthrights of the exiled," she mused tiredly.

"They are not our responsibility anymore," he whispered tiredly. "We're exiles."

She wriggled her hips a bit to get more comfortable as his arm wrapped around her waist.

"We stand together," she promised.

"Yasha-hime," he chuckled.

She swatted the hand beneath her own. "I'm a peasant."

"You're mine," he murmured.

"Always, my lord, always," she promised.

* * *

Sesshōmaru watched his mate sleep again and sighed, his father would want him to fullfill his birthright, if only to ensure that the lands he had stolen from Sesshōmaru's mother did not fall into disrepair. Part of Sesshōmaru wanted to let that go, it was his birthright before his father had had exiled him and renounced him as heir. But another part, the part which had permitted himself to fall in love with Rin would not permit him to return, it revolted at the mere idea. There was too much to lose now.

He shifted, stifling a moan as his mate's walls tightened their grip on his knot, she groaned as she wriggled into a comfortable position again. Laying there he worried about his father though, he gripped his mate closer to him.

He would have to deal with this, before anyone knew who Rin was, and before his father discovered Sesshōmaru's daughters. No matter what Towa and Setsuna had to be safe, protected, and Rin would not run unless it was to protect them, and even then she wasn't going to just leave him. They had fought together too long, been through too many wars, disasters, and fights to just leave the other. He could no more leave his mate than she could leave her husband, their bonds were impossibly deep for a mortal and a daiyōkai.

Sesshōmaru would have to deal with it, and he would plead with Tsukuyomi-kami to leave him in peace in exile. Sesshōmaru did not desire to lose his mate and pups to fight the kami's pointless strife.

No matter what though he couldn't let Amaterasu find Rin, no doubt the kami of the universe would be less inclined to leave Rin out of her strife. Rin's power and his daughters was too great of a temptation for beings like the kami to leave be. Sesshōmaru would have to plead with Tsukuyomi to release his service and his blood line.

Perhaps he should return, just to sever his father's head from his shoulders, stick it on a pike and leave it as a reminder to the world to leave him the fuck alone. He and his yōkai liked this idea, and he would bring it up with Rin when she was properly awake.

* * *

Tōga stood there in his mate's dying gardens and gave a rattled breath. It would not be long before his will alone could keep him anchored to this realm. He needed Sesshōmaru here, now.

"Kirinmaru, go find Sesshōmaru, bring him back, no matter the cost," Tōga murmured to his faithful friend.

"Very well," Kirinmaru said softly.

* * *

InuYasha looked at his packed up supplies.

"Where are you going?" a voice asked which had him looking over at the young yōkai taijiya who had had his ass handed to him by Yasha-hime.

"I'm going to go find Yasha-hime, and my brother," he stated. He didn't want to lose to Kōga, this mission was too important for him not to go himself to find Sesshōmaru, and these puny injuries weren't going to hold him back, he was going to succeed. Before his father called upon Kirinmaru.

"You think you can?" Kohaku drawled out.

"Got a pretty good wiff of her scent, I can track her," he decided.

"There's a blizzard coming," Kohaku pointed out.

"So?" he asked.

"So it will be impossible to get through the mountains," the boy pointed out.

"For a human maybe, but I ain't human," he snapped. "Now I'm going," he said as he grabbed his bag and went for the forest.

It didn't take him long to find where he had fought the onna, there was a bit of blood still staining a nearby tree where he had got her cheek by accident. She had fought like a yōkai, or an expert swordswoman, he could believe she was a formidable opponent for any human or hanyō. But he didn't see how she could attract a daiyōkai. Still, her scent was practically steeped in the scent of a daiyōkai, the forest and something else.

It didn't take him long before he was following her scent, he just hoped that he caught up before the snow robbed him of her trail. Running through the treetops he didn't slow.

* * *

Rin woke alone, she wasn't surprised as she got off her futon, wrapping her robe around her as she picked up her husband's mokomoko to seek him out. That was surprisingly easy as she found him standing over their sleeping daughters.

"Sesshōmaru," she called out softly her hand taking his in hers.

"I don't…" he murmured. "I don't want our birthright on them," he whispered looking at her with pleading eyes.

"It will never be theirs, just ours," she promised. They both looked at their daughters and she tugged on his hand. "Come to bed, anata, blizzards are coming and they're safe," she promised.

Leading Sesshōmaru out of their daughters' room to their own. settling on her futon she wrapped mokomoko around him as he lay with her, she knew he wouldn't sleep but she liked having him near.

"If I tell you to take them and run, run Rin, and never stop," he ordered softly tracing her cheek.

"I'm not leaving you," she started but he leaned down and kissed her softly.

"I will find you again," he promised. "But they are more important than I."

She agreed with that, her love of her children was the only thing to supersede the love she felt for her husband. "Very well, but you had better find us."

He smiled a bit as he rested his brow on hers. She knew he'd find her, he would always find her.


	5. Chapter 5

The days lulled into routine for him and Rin, he would spar with her, instructing her where to better hit a daiyōkai, to use her skill and power with ease. Setsuna watched with rapt attention and wide eyes while Tows kept trying to eat her sister’s mokomoko. Rin took to sewing new clothing for them, and while she did that, he usually read over the reports of the lands from Jaken and Tsukuyomaru. Towa and Setsuna were rather playful still, which had him watching over his girls as they romped in the snow and played for hours. Rin liked cooking and experimenting with getting their girls to eat more solid foods; more human foods, which Towa took a vocal and vehnament dislike to, while Setsuna was gleeful for anything her mother cooked.

He enjoyed the contrast of his pups, enjoyed watching their personalities develop as they became their own little beings.

Today though he was in his study with Setsuna who was playing with his mokomoko while he read over a few property disputes within his territories. Though he was not a formal lord of the territories, humans and yōkai in the region had sworn fidelity to him for reasons he hadn’t known but respected their desires of having him as a leader.

Rin was off with Towa to collect herbs which she had managed to finagle into growing, Towa was probably trying to devour a bush or chase a bird which was adding labor to Rin’s task. He smirked as he caught Setsuna mid leap before she hit the corner edge of his tsukeshoin. That would not be good, he didn’t like it when his pups were injured or upset. Setsuna smiled as he ran his hand through her heavy black hair and he softened, she pulled herself onto his lap to play with his hand which he permitted until she tried playing with his claws.

Movement outside his window caught his attention as he lowered the reports.

His pup stopped playing as she seemed to catch his change of demeanor and took to peering out the window as well. Dropping the papers he snatched Setsuna up and put her in a chest as he grabbed his fang.

“Stay,” he ordered as he lowered the lid to conceal her as he replaced a few quilts atop it before he went out of the house. Rin being in her gardens was a disadvantage as it was behind the house, he hoped she’d hear the conflict and remain out of sight with Towa.

“You are not easy to find!” a voice shouted.

He lashed out his light whip which had the red and white figure yelping as he retreated back to the forest line and Sesshōmaru snarled lowly.

“I’m not here for anything other than to talk!” the voice bellowed.

“My answer has not changed,” he growled in a low, level voice.

“I’m not here about that!”

“Then speak,” he ordered harshly.

“Can we talk inside without weapons!?”

“No,” he grounded out.

“Dada!” a small voice laughed out as Towa came running through the house. She caught his leg and his growling intensified as he watched the treeline, he could make out the young hanyō who’s eyes were now wide staring at his daughter.

“Towa?” Rin called out behind him. She was near and saw his tension. Rin dropped her basket as she snatched their daughter and darted back into the shelter of the house. He knew she would find Setsuna swiftly enough; they played hide and hunt regularly with their daughters.

“Leave, the answer will never change,” he snarled.

“I…” the hanyō stared stunned but seemed to get the message as he darted back into the forest. Sesshōmaru turned and walked back into his home, firmly shutting the door as he caught Towa and saw Rin hugging Setsuna tightly as she peered out the window.

“Who was it?” she whispered apprehensively.

“It does not matter,” he soothed as he pulled her into his chest and held his girls. It would not matter because if the hanyō returned he would slaughter him and whoever came with him. Rin sighed as she released Setsuna, he narrowly caught an escaping Towa before she could plummet to the ground and Rin chuckled.

“Ever impatient our daughters,” she mused.

“They get it from you,” he assured her affectionately as he nipped the lobe of her ear and softened.

“Naturally, mortals are impatient creatures,” Rin laughed as he wrapped his arms around her.

“Patience is a virtue we should teach,” he mused.

“Mmm, that’s your purview,” she decided as she kissed the underside of his jaw.

“Of course,” he nodded. “I’m but a thousand of years, I am patient, I will teach them to wait,” he promised.

“Good,” she chuckled as she kissed his pulse as he released her. He watched her walk to cook and he looked out the window of his home to the forest. “Go, but hurry back,” she said softly. “I will protect them.”

He nodded as he darted out of the house and to the snowy forests, a running leap had him shifting forms as he raced over the snow and to the air and trees. The scent of the intruder was similar to his own and different, tainted with a human he had not thought about since he had been exiled. The hanyō was Izayoi’s progeny which had him snarling even more, that witch had been the reason his mother had died instead of his father. His mother had faced Ryūkotsuse instead of his father, and Sesshōmaru despised knowing that.

Looking back at his home he decided against chasing the prey as he took to patrolling his perimeter. Rin and his daughters were all that mattered. Assured that there were no intruders on his land he decided he should message his allies on his land so they were aware of the intruders who posed as a threat to his family and theirs’ by extension.

* * *

InuYasha was not expecting that, whatever he had been expecting it was not that.

His brother had been a surprise to him, because of how his brother looked. Sesshōmaru was someone InuYasha expected to be like their faither, a massive, bulking warrior. The daiyōkai had instead looked as looked like a slender, young man, gold eyes, very long white hair, with a mokomoko that was thicker and heavier than any InuYasha had seen. Sesshōmaru’s daiyōkai markings were also very unusual, the waning crescent moon upon his brow, magenta lids, magenta double stripe on each cheek, as well as visible on his wrists. All that spoke of his brother’s rank, position, and power.

Sesshōmaru was a servant of Tsukuyomi-kami, he was venomous and poisonous, his gaze was impeccable, his claws commanded light and power, and he was a terrifyingly powerful foe. The daiyōkai probably held more power than their father ever could.

The pup though, that had been unexpected.

He had sort of had a vague idea that his brother had had a pup with Yasha-hime, he had smelt the pregnancy lingering on her, but he hadn’t actually thought about the pups being real beings, it just wasn’t something that had occurred to him. The pup had been small, on wobbly, chubby legs, clearly a hanyō with silver hair and big magenta eyes. His brother’s entire countinence had changed when he thought his pup in danger too. InuYasha wasn’t fool enough to think he should stay around, not when his brother was viewing him as a threat and his pup was right there.

If there was anything to know about daiyōkai and yōkai alike it was that when mates were in peril they were dangerous but if their young were in danger they ruthlessly lethal. There would be no reasoning with his brother if he thought his pups in danger, there would be no talking to his brother at the house where his mate and pup resided if he viewed InuYasha as a danger to them.

It took him half the time to make it to the village, reaching there swifter than he expected he sighed.

“InuYasha!” Kagome gasped when he reached her temple.

“I found him,” InuYasha sighed.

“Come in!” she ushered as she opened her home to him more. The warmth was a sharp contrast to what he had been travelling through. “You found him?” she asked as she closed her home again to keep the warmth inside.

“I did.”

“And?” she prompted.

“He’s not what I was expecting,” he admitted. “I was expecting someone who looked like father, or acted like him.”

“And he wasn’t like that?”

“Not at all, he was… he’s definitely taller than father, and more powerful, if his mokomoko is anything to go by,” InuYasha admitted.

“That’s…”

“It maybe just what we need,” he admitted. “He’s got a pup,” he said softly. “With Yasha-hime.”

“A pup?”

“Hai, a little girl, with silver hair.”

* * *

Rin crept silently out of the girls’ room as she slid the fusuma shut and sighed as she carefully navigated the wooden floors of her home. She knew every squeaky plank and loose board, and she would not have her pups awake for a few hours from their nap! She made it to the tatami mats and slowly settled herself on a lot of the pillows while she waited tensely for a moment before she reached for her sewing. Sesshōmaru appeared then.

She pressed a finger to her lips and he nodded as he slipped to sit behind her, his chin resting on her head as he sighed.

“How was your patrol?” she asked him softly after a decent amount of time had passed and he squeezed her hand to inform her the girls were soundly asleep.

“Quiet,” he answered. “I will send missives to Tsukuyomaru about informing others,” he said softly as he started toying with her hair.

“That is wise, you should inform the human provinces as well,” she said softly.

“I will send them then,” he nodded as mokomoko wrapped around them both so they could comfortably lean back. Rin hummed a bit as she leaned on his leg and chest.

“Anything else?”

“New herd of deer in the area,” he commented. “A few bears are awake?”

“In the middle of winter?”

“They do get hungry,” he pointed out.

“True, but are they close to where the girls play, that’s my worry,” Rin admitted.

They will not stay close to me,” he reminded her.

“Mmm,” she hummed as she continued her stitching.

“What is that?” he asked her.

“It’s going to be peach blossom for you,” she said softly.

He raised a brow which had her chuckling.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a marker for you to see, to remind you that you have me and our girls here who love you,” she said.

“Ah,” he nodded as he buried his nose in her throat.

“Sesshōmaru?” she said softly.

“Hm?”

“When you do that I can’t concentrate,” she breathed.

“Hn,” he grunted.

“Sesshōmaru,” she breathed.

“You smell so fertile,” he murmured against her skin which had her sighing. Her eyes were half closed as his lips started travelling over her throat. Him and smells, she sighed as her head fell back then as his hand slipped beneath all the layers to her breast, gently massaging it.

“Sesshōmaru,” she murmured.

“Hm?” he hummed as he kissed his way up to her weak spot beneath her ear.

“Hurry up, the girls will wake in an hour,” she whimpered.

“Mmm, how many?” he asked her.

“How many can you give me?” she challenged and she felt his lips curve dangerously against her skin.

“Such a dangerous challenge you’ve issued,” he mused. “I accept,” he purred which had her shuddering as she found herself hoisted up as they flew to their room, he shut the fusuma and pounced which had her giggling softly. His mouth was brutal as he claws sliced through her obi and he discarded the layers she wore.


End file.
